What I BelieveOriginally published in 1885, What I Believe is part of series of books by novelist Leo Tolstoy that outline his personal interpretation of Christian theology. After a midlife crisis at age 50, he began to believe in the moral teachings of Christianity, while rejecting mysticism and organized religion. He believed that pacifism and poverty were the paths to enlightenment. His precepts of nonviolence even influenced Mohandas Gandhi. Students of religion, political science, and literature alike will gain new understanding from the ideas presented in this book. Students of literature will get to understand more deeply one of the greatest novelist in history, while those interested in religion and politics can see how Tolstoy's philosophy came to influence the world at large. Russian writer COUNT LEV ("LEO") NIKOLAYEVICH TOLSTOY (1828-1910) is best known for his novels War and Peace (1869) and Anna Karenina (1877). |
From inside the book
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Page 4
... speak of here , was not the result of a metho- dical investigation of doctrinal theology , or of the actual texts of the Gospel ; it was a sudden removal of all that hid the true meaning of the Christian doctrine - a momentary flash of ...
... speak of here , was not the result of a metho- dical investigation of doctrinal theology , or of the actual texts of the Gospel ; it was a sudden removal of all that hid the true meaning of the Christian doctrine - a momentary flash of ...
Page 8
... speak with such solemnity ; nowhere else does He give us so many clear and intelligible moral pre- cepts , which commend themselves to everyone . If there are any clear and definite precepts of Christi- anity , they must have been ...
... speak with such solemnity ; nowhere else does He give us so many clear and intelligible moral pre- cepts , which commend themselves to everyone . If there are any clear and definite precepts of Christi- anity , they must have been ...
Page 23
... speak evil of our fellow - men . * The idea never occurred to me that these words could have any refer- ence to ... speaking evil ' of our neigh- bour . The second is the interpretation generally given to the word by the Orthodox Church ...
... speak evil of our fellow - men . * The idea never occurred to me that these words could have any refer- ence to ... speaking evil ' of our neigh- bour . The second is the interpretation generally given to the word by the Orthodox Church ...
Page 24
... speak ill of our brethren , but that we are not to condemn them to punishment by our human institutions of justice ? " In the Gospel of St. Luke , chapter vi . , verses 37-39 , these words come immediately after the command- ment not to ...
... speak ill of our brethren , but that we are not to condemn them to punishment by our human institutions of justice ? " In the Gospel of St. Luke , chapter vi . , verses 37-39 , these words come immediately after the command- ment not to ...
Page 28
... speak not evil of him , ' He would have said so ; but He says plainly , ' Do not condemn . ' And then adds , and ye shall not be condemned ; forgive , and ye shall be forgiven . ' But perhaps Christ's words do not apply to courts of law ...
... speak not evil of him , ' He would have said so ; but He says plainly , ' Do not condemn . ' And then adds , and ye shall not be condemned ; forgive , and ye shall be forgiven . ' But perhaps Christ's words do not apply to courts of law ...
Other editions - View all
What I Believe: Translated from the Russian by Constantine Popoff Leo Tolstoy No preview available - 1999 |
Common terms and phrases
acknowledge amongst anger answer believe brethren Christ says Christ's doctrine Christ's words Christian Church clear clearly commandments of Christ commit adultery condemn consider contrary courts of law creed dead death deeds deprive destroy disciples Divine doctrine of Christ earth enjoined Epistle of James eternal law existence explain faith Father fellow-creatures follow forbids fulfil give given Gospel according happiness hath Hebrew language Hebrews human idea individual interpretation John John Chrysostom judge kill kingdom kingdom of God labour law of Christ light likewise love thy neighbour Luke mankind Matt Matthew meaning Mosaic law Moses neighbour never oath obey peace perish Pharisees precept prophets punishment rational resist evil resist not evil Sadducees salvation saved say unto sense suffering swear Talmud taught teaching of Christ thee things Thou shalt tion tooth true truth understand understood verse violence whosoever wife written law
Popular passages
Page 129 - Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Page 80 - But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Page 79 - For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Page 29 - Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law : but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Page 85 - Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. % But let your communication be, Yea, yea ; nay, nay : for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Page 132 - And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Page 88 - But above all things, my brethren, swear not; neither by heaven, neither by the earth, | neither by any other oath : but let your yea, be yea; and your nay, nay ; lest ye fall into condemnation.
Page 79 - And He saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
Page 57 - The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.